Ancient Sites Around the World

A visit to an ancient site can be an educational experience, but it can also stir the imagination, prompting us to wonder about the people of long ago and how they lived. We can learn what is known about the history of a place, but only our imaginations can fill in the gaps, allowing us to see not only buildings in ruins but a glimpse of a crowded coliseum, a bustling marketplace, or a ritual performed in honor of an ancient god.

From well known sites like the pyramids of Egypt, the Roman Colosseum and the Greek Parthenon, to less famous landmarks and ruins, About.com's travel guides have traveled near and far to bring you information about intriguing ancient sites around the world.

Ancient Sites in Africa

• The Pyramids of Egypt
  The last survivor of the original wonders of the world, and one of the world's greatest architectural feats, the pyramids at Giza are just as grand and glorious in person as they are in pictures. Gazing upon these giant structures, it is difficult to imagine that they were built over 4000 years ago. See photos of the pyramids.
• Great Zimbabwe
  The Great Zimbabwe Ruins are sub-Saharan Africa's most important and largest stone ruins. The large towers and structures were built out of millions of stones balanced perfectly on top of one another without the aid of mortar.

Ancient Sites in Asia

• Top 5 Historical Places in India
  A melting pot of different religions, rulers and empires have left their mark on India. Take a trip back in time to ancient India by visiting India's most popular historical destinations, like the Taj Mahal, and Khajuraho, which has over 20 temples devoted to sexuality.
• China's UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites
  Places designated as World Heritage Sites make up some of the most interesting and well-preserved places to visit in China. Some of China's most famous monuments, such as the Great Wall and the Terracotta army are included in this list, as well as many lesser-known ancient sites.
• Angkor Wat, Cambodia
  One of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia, the vast complex at Angkor Archeological Park includes many massive buildings and temples. Angkor Wat is at the center of this complex. Built in the 12th century, it is Cambodia’s best-preserved temple.
• Jerusalem, Israel
  Jerusalem is one of the world’s first travel destinations. For thousands of years, believers in three of the world's major religions — Judaism, Islam and Christianity — have come to Jerusalem to worship at the holy sites of this ancient city in Israel.
• Lost City of Petra, Jordan
  Lying in a remote area of the southern desert mountains of Jordan, Petra was "lost" to the western world from about the 14th century until the early 19th century. This rose-red city carved into the limestone mountains was chosen as one of the New 7 World Wonders.

Ancient Sites in Europe

• Plovdiv, Bulgaria
  Plovdiv is one of Europe's oldest cities, its history reaching farther back than even Rome's or Constantinople's. This Bulgarian city boasts layers of history, exemplified in Thracian fortifications and Ottoman mosques.
• The Parthenon, Athens, Greece
  The remains of a temple to the Greek goddess Athena, located on the Acropolis overlooking the city of Athens, the Parthenon is considered to be the finest example of Doric-style construction.
• Top Ancient Rome Sites, Rome, Italy
  The Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Forum are just a few of the glories that remain of Ancient Rome. Most of these ancient sites are located within Rome's historic center.
• Grotto of Tiberius, Sperlonga, Italy
  Tiberius, the ancient Roman emperor, loved the sea. He spent time at a villa next to a seaside cave south of Sperlonga, on Italy's west coast.
• Trier, Germany
  The oldest city in Germany, founded as a Roman colony in 16 B.C., became the favored residence of several Roman emperors and was even called “Roma Secunda”, the second Rome.
• Mérida, Spain
  Mérida is home to Spain's most spectacular and best preserved Roman ruins, including a Roman theater and amphitheater where you can see performances during the summer months.
• London Stone, London, England
  This fragment of a 3,000 year old piece of limestone was once considered to be the symbolic heart of London.
• Heart of Neolithic Orkney, Scotland
  The Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage site includes two very different stone circles, an ancient chambered burial mound defaced with Viking graffitti, a 5,000 year old village that looks like occupants just moved out, and a number of unexcavated mounds and sites.
• Brú na Boinne - Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, Ireland
  Visiting some the ancient monuments in the Boyne Valley is a must for every visitor to Ireland, but nowhere can the past be experienced as impressively as within the central chamber of Newgrange.

Ancient Sites in the Americas

• Machu Picchu, Peru
  Machu Picchu was built high on a mountaintop in the Peruvian Andes in the 1400s, at the height of the Incan empire. The site was rediscovered by British archaeologist Hiram Bingham in 1911, and voted one of the New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007.
• Mayan Ruins in Central America
  From massive archaeological ruins like Tikal in Guatemala and Copan in Honduras, to smaller yet equally mysterious sites like Tazumal in El Salvador and Xunantunich in Belize, the Mayan ruins of Central America are certain to linger in your memory.
• Mayan Ruins of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula
  The advances of the Maya in astronomy and art are evidenced in the ancient Mayan cities. Chichen Itzá is by far the most famous Mayan site, especially after its selection as one of the New 7 World Wonders, but there are many archaeological sites to explore on a trip to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
• Seven Manmade Wonders of the Caribbean
  Humans have inhabited the islands and coastlines of the Caribbean for millennia, leaving behind the legacies of great civilizations, conflicts, faith and commerce. The Seven Manmade Wonders of the Caribbean include the remains of great ancient cities and temples as well as still-thriving historic capitals, fortresses and churches.
• El Morro, Puerto Rico
  First-time visitors to Old San Juan simply cannot leave without visiting El Morro. The fortress is one of the most impressive structures on the island, encapsulating Puerto Rico’s role as a guardian of the New World.
• Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico
  A visit to Bandelier is a great way to learn about the ancestral pueblo people and envision them in the beautiful valley that is set aside as a National Monument.
• Historic Jamestowne, Virginia
  While not as old as many archeological sites around the world, Historic Jamestowne is the site of America's first permanent English settlement and the location of the 1607 James Fort excavation site, with ongoing archaeological projects.

_{Photo by Guillermo Aldana, courtesy of the Mexican Tourism Board.}